Annual Report 2022–23
ii Annual Report 2022–23 Connections 22 | 23 BUSHkids values the ongoing support and collegial partnerships provided by all levels of government and a diverse range of organisations. Acknowledgement of Country In the spirit of reconciliation, BUSHkids acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which our services operate and recognises their cultural authority and continuing connection to land, waters, and communities in which we work. We pay respects to their Elders past, present and future, and respect their wisdom and guidance building stronger futures for their children. We extend that respect to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partner organisations, professional colleagues and other First Nations families who are an important part of our BUSHkids community. Rotary Club of Warwick Sunrise
OUR PATRON The Governor of Queensland, Her Excellency Dr Jeanette Young ac psm Notice of Meeting 2023 The 87th Annual General Meeting of the Royal Queensland Bush Children’s Health Scheme Limited – BUSHkids – will be held on Friday 8 December 2023 at 6.00pm at the BUSHkids Precinct, 14-16 Morley Street, Toowong Q 4066. Business • Confirmation of Minutes of the 86th Annual General Meeting held on 2 December 2022; • Receive and adopt the 87th Annual Report for the 12 month period 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023; • Presentation of Annual Financial Report for the 12 month period 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023; • Nomination and election of Chair and Board members; • Appoint Auditors for the ensuing year; • Transact any special business for which due notice has been given. By order of the Board. Dr N J Bartels oam Chair BUSHkids • Royal Queensland Bush Children’s Health Scheme Limited ACN 667 574 781 | ABN 43 824 927 762 Disclaimer Unless identified by explicit permission, client names have been changed in this document for privacy reasons. First Nations readers are advised that, over time, this document may be found to contain images and names of deceased people. Image credits Ian Mace: 4, 13, 17; Lucy Waldron (Warwick Today): 3, 13, OSBC; Paul Stone: 6, 18; Jacquie Duffus: 9; TROPHIQ: p22; all other images: BUSHkids. Topics 22 | 23 CEO 4 Babimim Jharr opening 5 Patron’s visit | Research & awareness 6 Service Delivery Model 7 Early Childhood Approach (ECA) 7 ECA Case Studies | NDIS reset 8 Staff profile: Libby Brown 8 WQPHN Winton & Cunnamulla 9-10 Children & Parenting Support Services 10 Inglewood & Texas Case Study 11 Allied Health 12 Warwick’s new Nature Play Area 13 Celebrating eKindy 14 RAP FEATURE Cunnamulla 15 Warwick 16-17 Cherbourg 18 Friends of BUSHkids 19 Our people & culture | Lunchbox Learning 20 Leadership Development Program 21 Students & TROHPIQ 22 Organisation Social media / ICT / WHS 23 Quality Compliance 23 Essentials 22 | 23 CONNECTIONS ISFC DIRECTORY ISBC BOARD • Members & meetings 2 Chair report 3 KEY STATISTICS 24 Estates, legacies and trusts 26 Donate, bequest or sponsor FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 27 Full Audited Financial Statements for the 2022-23 Financial Year are available at the Head Office of BUSHkids at 16 Morley Street, Toowong Q 4066; email info@bushkids.org.au or scan the QR code to view the file. 1 Annual Report 2022–23
BOARD MEMBERS & 2023 MEETING ATTENDANCE 1 16 Feb 2 30 Mar 3 11 May 4 22 Jun 5 3 Aug 6 21 Sep 7 2 Nov AGM* 8 Dec Dr Neil Bartels oam (Chair) Dr Neil Bartels became a member of Royal Queensland Bush Children’s Health Scheme “Council” in 1991 and served as the organisation’s Deputy Chair before becoming Chair in 2007. Neil is a medical practitioner with a keen interest in children’s health issues. He is a Fellow of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine and also holds a Masters Degree in Law. Neil’s family has a long and auspicious association with the organisation: his father joined the organisation’s Council in 1966, became Deputy Chair in 1970, and served as Chair from 1973 until 1991. Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Int* Ms Carolyn Searle (Deputy-Chair) Carolyn joined as a “Council” member in 2012 before becoming Deputy Chair in 2021. Having grown up in regional Queensland, she understands firsthand the needs of children and their families in regional and remote communities. With degrees in both Commerce and Law from The University of Queensland, Carolyn worked in the accounting and legal professions before managing her own Human Resources and recruitment company, which has provided valuable support to BUSHkids. As well as business advice, Carolyn continues to work to raise BUSHkids’ profile among Queensland’s business community. She has a particular interest in the development of our facilities and worked on the now-completed and operational teleBUSHkids building at our BUSHkids precinct in Toowong. Yes Apol Yes Apol Yes Yes Yes Int* Ms Allison McLean (Honorary Treasurer) Allison joined as a “Council” member in 2005 and has been the organisation’s Honorary Treasurer since 2007. From a farming family, Allison has a particular affinity with rural communities, first becoming involved with the Royal Queensland Bush Children’s Health Scheme as a volunteer at the Redcliffe Home in the 1980s. Allison has a Bachelor of Business from QUT, a Post Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. Allison supports BUSHkids Finance Manager and provides expert advice on all financial matters. Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Int* Mr Julian Martin Julian has been a “Council” member since 2009. Having grown up in the bush, he is very aware of the contribution BUSHkids makes to the health of rural communities. A graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors with over 20 years’ experience in the IT industry, Julian provides expert advice on BUSHkids’ management, implementation, and usability of information and computer technologies and the increasing use of technology and communications in the organisation’s service provision. Apol Yes Apol Yes Yes Yes Yes Int* Ms Judy Peters oam Judy joined as a “Council” member in 2018, having been involved with our Friends of BUSHkids in Bundaberg for a number of years and seeing first-hand the important contribution BUSHkids makes to regional and rural communities. Having been raised in Central Queensland Judy embraces the ethos of quality support and services to promote the health and well-being of all families. Judy has a Diploma of Local Government, a Diploma of Business and an Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management as well as a wealth of experience in local government, private enterprise and the not for profit sector. Yes Yes Yes Yes Apol Apol Yes Int* Emeritus Professor Deborah Theodoros Deborah is a speech pathologist with 45 years of clinical and research experience. She grew up in Mackay before completing her Bachelor’s degree and PhD at the University of Queensland. Deborah was Head of Speech Pathology for 11 years at UQ and is now an Emeritus Professor at the University. She has previously chaired the Board of the Speech Pathology Australia and brings a wealth of experience in the allied health sector. Deborah joined BUSHkids “Council” in 2019 and has a special interest in new models of service delivery. Yes Yes Yes Apol Yes Yes Yes Int* Dr Louise Cahill Louise is a speech pathologist who has worked with children both clinically and in research for more than 40 years. She has extensive experience within the areas of strategic and professional leadership, consultancy and advocacy, having worked for many years for Children’s Health Queensland and The University of Queensland. Louise was born in Warwick, and lived in several towns in rural Queensland before moving to Brisbane in 1976 to commence her university studies. Guest Yes Yes Yes Apol Yes Yes Int* Mrs Gail Huggins Gail had been a “Council” member since 2012. With a degree in Speech Pathology from The University of Queensland, Gail had a wealth of experience gained from a range of positions in government and non-government health and education organisations throughout Australia. Prior to her retirement, Gail was Director of Speech Pathology, Paediatric Services for Queensland Health on the Gold Coast. Gail resigned from her BUSHkids roles in early 2023. Yes Yes Resigned *Note: AGM (8 December) scheduled after the production deadline for this report; attendance notes are declared intentions based on prior advice received from Board members. 2 Annual Report 2022–23
Chair report In our annual report for 2020–21, as BUSHkids — and, indeed, Queensland and the country — began to recover from the worst of the pandemic, CEO Carlton Meyn noted that we were one of 12 not-for-profit organisations successful in being granted funding through the State Government’s Community Infrastructure Investment Partnership (CIIP) program to facilitate part of the statewide economic recovery process. The announcement, in September 2020, by Deputy Premier Steven Miles, of this generous ‘seed funding’ to enable preparatory work to begin on our teleBUSHkids Centre at our Toowong Precinct in Brisbane was followed by extensive planning and fundraising efforts by BUSHkids, with the support of our many donors and partners. Thus, it was with much pleasure and great pride that we were able to welome the Deputy Premier to Toowong, 30 months later, to officially open our new ‘Babimim Jharr (“Family Place”) teleBUSHkids Centre’ in May this year. The installation of stateof-the-art technology for our services to reach kids and families all around the state from an old, sympathetically-redeveloped Queenslander in inner-suburban Brisbane is a striking example of tradition meeting innovation. Both purposefully and yet paradoxically, our new Babimim Jharr reflects the best of our BUSHkids ethos, from our founding in the early 20th Century to our continued quest for better ways to serve in the 21st — my congratulations and thanks to all who have been involved in actualising this vision. Longevity, loyalty and leadership These three terms are often bound together by more than their alliterative qualities and, I believe, never more so than in BUSHkids as I reflect on my 31st year as a volunteer in the service of this amazing organisation. Deputy-Chair Carolyn Searle has embodied this spirit in her championing of the development and completion of Babimim Jharr. Meticulous financial stewardship by the almost-two-decade commitment to BUSHkids of Honorary Treasurer Allison McLean enabled our new teleBUSHkids Centre to reach its operational goal. The ‘steadying hands on the tiller’ of colleagues Julian Martin, Judy Peters oam and Emeritus Professor Deb Theodoros have continued to play key roles both in their specialist expertise portfolios as well as in the overall governance of BUSHkids, and I thank them most sincerely for their passionate dedication. So it was with great sadness but enormous gratitude that we accepted the resignation of Gail Huggins in March 2023. After retirement from her professional Speech Pathology career, Gail gave our organisation more than a decade of voluntary service and elected to finally embrace ‘proper retirement’ with both hands. On behalf of BUSHkids, and the thousands of lives on which you have made a positive difference, thank-you. What can you do when you have to surrender the loss of a good ‘Speechie’ but succeed them with another — we are delighted to welcome Dr Louise Cahill and the expertise of her 40-year career in academic, research, clinical and practical roles as we continue our ongoing organisational reinvigoration. On the topic of renewal, readers of this year’s document will note a change in language from the traditional references to ‘Council’ to ‘Board’ members. As set out in our current Strategic Plan, BUSHkids is now a ‘Company Limited by Guarantee’ and I thank CEO Carlton, in particular, as well as my colleagues and the many members of our Leadership team and specialist advisers who have worked so hard and so diligently to bring BUSHkids’ corporate governance framework forward towards our 90th anniversary, two years’ hence. As well as remaining committed to the aims and outcomes of the National Redress Scheme (NRS), BUSHkids this year has also made great strides along the path towards Reconciliation. Just as I was writing these words and finalising this annual report for Board submission and endorsement, we received news from governing body Reconciliation Australia that our proposed first-stage (‘Reflect’) Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) had been officially accredited and BUSHkids formally accepted as a member of the nations-wide RAP Network. This achievement reflects not only the visionary drive of CEO Carlton but also the many years of leadership-led, frontline- staff-delivered, engagement with the First Nations peoples in not only our existing clientele and serviced communities but also in expanding outreach to areas beyond, all over Queensland. It is an honour for our meaningful early steps on this long path to be formally recognised and, on behalf of the Board, I thank everyone involved in this important process to date, and I have no doubt of the sincere dedication of our volunteers and staff towards the journey ahead. In echoing Carlton’s comprehensive acknowledgements of our various state and federal funders on the following pages, let me also reiterate our appreciation of the keen interest shown in the work of our new Babimim Jharr team by the Governor of Queensland, our Patron Her Excellency Dr Jeanette Young ac psm, on her recent private visit to our Toowong Precinct to inspect our new facilities for the futures of all Queensland children. I close this report with my thanks, as always, for the support of my wife Annette, our children and extended families, without which, well … that’s the heartfelt core of why we do what we do. Neil Dr Neil J Bartels oam MBBS LL.M Grad.Cert. Leg.Med. FACRRM R: All smiles for young Dakota and Allison at the official opening of our Warick Centre’s new Nature Play Area (see pages 13 and 16–17 for more information). 3 Annual Report 2022–23
CEO Carlton Meyn This year marks seven years of BUSHkids running eKindy pods in rural communities. Our eKindy program is funded by the Department of Education. This year I had the privilege of undertaking a series of regional visits to reconnect with our staff face-to-face, post-pandemic. Through these individual and group meetings, work shadowing opportunities and conversations with families, children and community stakeholders, our executive team is able to gain a frontline understanding of the challenges, needs and achievements of our staff and the communities they support. These visits are a key component of our strategic decision- making at BUSHkids. We continue to see great value in supporting our staff to be the best practitioners and leaders to support children and families across Queensland. This year has seen the revamp of our statewide Lunchbox Learning (LBL) In-service Program and we have implemented a bespoke three-level leadership development program. We continue to provide support for our teams to access professional development and provide professional supervision for our frontline teams. BUSHkids has contributed to the development of future Allied Health professionals with student placements providing more than 3,700 hours of learning. BUSHkids is responding to increasing demand for services across regional, rural, and remote areas in Queensland. To respond to these demands, ‘BUSHkids Refresh 2023’ heralded a focus on strong systems to support a strong organisation. This year we have undertaken a review of all of our systems, including IT, HR, Finance and Quality Assurance to strengthen and manage the growing complexity of a contemporary organisation. Chief Executive Officer BUSHkids supports Queensland children and families living in regional, rural and remote communities to thrive and achieve their potential. We are proud that our organisation has this year supported In 2023, we focused on revitalising our services and growing our people to ensure BUSHkids continues to provide exceptional support to children and families into the future. We have continued to work with others who share our vision that “All Queensland children achieve their potential regardless of where they live”. The sun shone brightly in Toowong when Deputy Premier Stephen Miles officially opened our teleBUSHkids Centre – Babimim Jharr (Family Place) in May this year. The day was a celebration of what can be achieved when determined individuals and organisations work together to support better futures for today’s children. We were delighted when our Patron, the Governor of Queensland, Dr Jeanette Young ac psm, toured the new centre in August. This centre was the culmination of research and collaboration between BUSHkids and The University of Queensland and was made possible by funding from the Community Infrastructure Investment Project (CIIP). We are proud to continue to build the evidence base for working with rural and remote families through ongoing research partnerships across multiple disciplines and universities. Our Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group was established and we have successfully developed a BUSHkids Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Our RAP provides BUSHkids with a framework to contribute to the reconciliation movement and will inform how we design services and support First Nations children, families and communities. We continue to value authentic partnerships and work with others for better outcomes for children. BUSHkids is a member of the Thriving Queensland Kids Partnership and we have contributed to the Country Collaborative and Integrated Service Systems Collaborative throughout the year. BUSHkids supports the work of Thrive by Five to make our early learning childcare system high quality and universally accessible. BUSHkids is funded to deliver the Early Childhood Approach (ECA) on behalf of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). Our ECA teams are based in Rockhampton, Emerald, Gladstone, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Kingaroy, Cherbourg, Gympie, Maroochydore, and Caloundra. This year we have focused on embedding our new leadership team in this service and preparing for changes as part of the NDIS review and reset. BUSHkids Children’s Allied Health Service is our longest-standing service and is delivered from our service centres located in Mount Isa, Emerald, Bundaberg, Dalby, and Warwick. The Queensland Government (Queensland Health and Department of Education) contributes funding for these services. Innovative and contemporary practice has been key to the development of this service this year. We receive Department of Social Services (DSS) funding for Children and Parenting Support Services (CPSS) to provide early intervention, prevention services and resources to improve children’s development and well- being and to support parents and carers in raising children. There is a particular focus on children and families who are vulnerable and at risk. BUSHkids supports the communities of Stanthorpe, Kingaroy (Kingaroy North and Nanango) and Agnes Water (Miriam Vale). BUSHkids self-funds services to Inglewood and Texas. Our Children and Parenting Team took time this year to review and refocus as a new activity work plan was developed. Western Queensland Primary Health Network (WQPHN) provides funding for our work in Western Queensland. We are pleased to have recruited and begun training an Allied Health Assistant based in Cunnamulla, supported by telepractice and fly-in fly-out clinicians. 18.6% CLIENTS 62.7% SESSIONS BDB DBY WCK EML ISA Our ‘orginal five’ Allied Health Centres 2012 2013 2022 2033 1,275 1,512 5,104 8,303 CLIENTS SESSIONS 130% CLIENTS 1,199 2012 2013 2022 2033 AGW KRY SPE Our CPSS locations 521 children 4 Annual Report 2022–23
Deputy Premier the Hon. Dr Steven Miles MP did the honours before a large crowd at our Toowong Precinct, with music by the Australian Army Band. Around our services We were delighted to celebrate the official opening of our new teleBUSHkids Centre, Babimim Jharr, in May this year. This centre enables us to remotely provide a full range of support and therapies to children and families in locations across Queensland. Research into the development of a telehealth framework was undertaken by a University of Queensland PhD student sponsored by BUSHkids. This research catalysed the evolution of telepractice at BUSHkids – resulting in the development of our flagship centre. Plans for the new centre became a reality in June 2021 when the Queensland Government contributed nearly half a million dollars through a grant from the Community Infrastructure Investment Partnership (CIIP) program. This allowed us to start construction work in September 2021 and we invested BUSHkids’ money, fundraised and received many kind donations from our friends and supporters to ensure the project could be completed late last year. It was fantastic that so many of our supporters could come together and celebrate the official opening. The new centre has been named Babimim Jharr meaning “family place” in the First Nations Jagera language. The name was decided following consultation with representatives from the local Jagera community. Our Babimim Jharr teleBUSHkids Centre will enable us to support more families across Queensland. Babimim Jharr — Our Family Place — teleBUSHkids Centre Opening WATCH bit.ly/3QKC7vQ CLIENTS 132 SESSIONS 606 < 6 months 5 Annual Report 2022–23
CEO Carlton and Chair Neil flank the Governor and the new Lemon Myrtle tree. The Governor had a briefing from staff, including Megan (R) and Kaitlin (far R) on the work being done out of the new centre. Patron’s visit to Toowong In August we were delighted to welcome our patron, Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young ac psm, to our new teleBUSHkids Centre, Babimim Jharr. Her Excellency toured the new centre, chatted with staff and got to see first-hand how our telepractice therapy sessions are conducted with kids and families online. During her visit, Her Excellency planted a Lemon Myrtle tree as a lasting memento of her visit. Research into and raising awareness of the impact and practice of supporting children and families in regional, rural and remote locations remains a key focus at BUSHkids. We continue contributing to research across a range of universities and organisations. These research projects include early stages of a multi-perspective study into the impact of children’s not-for-profit services in rural and remote Queensland being led by a multidisciplinary team of University of Queensland (UQ) researchers. BUSHkids is a community partner in a range of research projects. The myGOALS-4-Kids Study BUSHkids has been collaborating with The University of Queensland Children’s Motor Control Research Collaboration on the myGOALS-4-Kids Study, which is research to develop a child-led goal-setting App to help children engage in therapy. The research has involved collaboration with BUSHkids therapists to identify the most common types of goals that children seek help with. A second study worked with children, parents and BUSHkids therapists to design an interactive iPad App that kids can use to select and monitor their goals. The App includes fun cartoon characters who ask key questions and help children to monitor their own progress. The study is being led by Aisling Ryan (PhD Candidate and Occupational Therapist), Associate Professor Leanne Johnston (Physio- therapist), Associate Professor Laura Miller (Occupational Therapist) and Dr Peter Worthy (Information Technology and Electrical Engineering). Research and raising awareness WATCH bit.ly/3QPgUAO 6 Annual Report 2022–23
BUSHkids staff with the NDIA Community Engagement Team at a stand at the Regional Disability Expo in Bundaberg. Collaboration and Engagement Collaboration with the NDIS Community Engagement Team has seen BUSHkids support a number of initiatives, including: four Regional Disability Expos across Queensland, six Overview and Access Information Sessions for Child Safety, Intensive Family Support and Family Support Services staff and stakeholders, and the Education and Care Sector to deliver better outcomes for participants, provide consistent communication and messaging of the Early Childhood Approach, improved stakeholder knowledge and understanding about the scheme and improved operational and resource efficiencies. Service Delivery Model During the year, consultations were undertaken to revisit BUSHkids’ Service Delivery Model, which is firmly grounded in our vision and our values. We are committed to a strong local footprint with practitioners based across regional, rural and remote Queensland. We have developed our delegated Allied Health Assistant model, utilising engaging family- centred practice and supplemented with fly-in, fly-out and drive-in, drive-out services. Our evidence-based and evidence- informed services are family- centred, building parental capacity through a strengths-based, inclusive approach. Our services are inclusive, accessible and culturally safe. We aim to provide equitable services based on proportionate universalism – providing universal services, targeted programs and clinical intervention. We work collaboratively and develop capacity in the communities in which we work. Authentic relationships are prioritised and valued. ECA – Early Childhood Approach As the NDIS Partner in the Community delivering the Early Childhood Approach (ECA), BUSHkids provides specialised supports and servicesfor children aged 0–9 with a disability and children younger than six with a disability or developmental delay. We promote development, wellbeing and community participation for kids with a developmental delay or concern, or a disability, Committed to supporting Queensland children reach their potential regardless of where they live. The passionate BUSHkids Early Childhood Approach Team has supported 5,279 children and their families. Our services are provided in Rockhampton, Emerald, Gladstone, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Kingaroy, Cherbourg, Gympie, Maroochydore and Caloundra. Our transdisciplinary team of Allied Health professionals consisting of Occupational Therapists, Speech Pathologists, Social Workers, Physiotherapists and Allied Health Assistants, dedicated to deliver the Early Support Program and offer much needed early supports using telepractice and face-to-face service modalities in regional and rural communities. Delivering short term early intervention, including bridging supports to children waiting for access to the NDIS, the Early Start Team completed 2,194 individual sessions to 1,339 children during the 2022-2023 reporting period to positively impact on the lives of children and families. 3,422 Referrals received 14,679 Total sessions delivered 9,244 Telepractice sessions done 3,076 Plans prepared for implementation 5,435 Face-to-face sessions held 2,194 Short-term EI therapy provided 7 Annual Report 2022–23
ECA Case Study 1 The youngest of four children, one-year-old Liam was diagnosed with a rare neurodevelopmental disorder featuring epilepsy, profound global delay, and severe cognitive impairment. Liam experienced significant health needs and our aim was to support the family to increase his quality of life and create lasting memories. We supported Liam to receive an NDIS plan to ensure his needs were met by specialist supports. Liam’s family were able to focus on relationships and enjoying positive experiences together. His BUSHkids Key Worker reported “The family were so grateful to be able to spend quality time together. One of their enduring memories will be their trip to Sea World, supported by the Make-A-Wish Foundation.” Liam passed in July 2023. ECA Case Study 2 Tommy was a lovely 15 month-old infant when his mum approached BUSHkids for support, with concerns about his development. She had noticed that he wasn’t doing some of the things his peers were starting to do – like babble, crawl or reach out for objects with his hands. Our Early Intervention Facilitator began work on an NDIS plan, in the meantime introducing both of them to our BUSHkids Physiotherapist who has a wealth of experience working with families supporting the development of babies and young children. Working with both at home to show mum how strategies could be implemented in everyday routines, after three sessions across a 12-week period the Physiotherapist noted “Tommy had started making a number of vowel sounds, engaged in back-and-forth sound play and was crawling and pulling up on furniture to stand.” Tommy and his mum are now being supported in the community through an NDIS plan. NDIS Reset The NDIS launched its “Reset” on 01 July 2023, and intends to improve the way the Early Childhood Approach supports young children and families. Based on the 23 recommendations outlined in the NDIS Early Childhood Intervention Reset the NDIS has: • increased the age range for children eligible for the Early Childhood Approach from 0 to 7 years to 0 to 9 years; • redistributed work activity between the Partners in the Community and the NDIS Agency; and • implemented a new client record management system, PACE, for national rollout. The BUSHkids Early Childhood Approach Team has been upskilling in the necessary technical skills required for this transition to PACE over a threre-month period, as well as responding to increased referrals volumes and age ranges, whilst reviewing all aspects of the service delivery teams processes, systems and resources to meet the operational needs of the Early Childhood Approach Team. The enormity of this reset cannot be underestimated and will continue to be staggered in its rollout and uptake over the next 18 months. Staff profile – bridging supports Introducing Libby Brown Libby Brown is a BUSHkids Physiotherapist who works as part of our NDIS Early Childhood Approach (ECA) team. Libby started working with children when she moved to the US and has worked with kids as a physio in early intervention for the last 27 years. “I started working in Australia as a physio with adults in acute care with neurological conditions,” said Libby. “But when I moved to the US, I took a position as a Paediatric Physio in a rural home health agency. I soon realised I love working with kids. It’s so different working with young children who have such a massive capacity to develop, learn and change because they are at a time in life when they are still making neural connections and adding brain cells. “Working with children is so rewarding as they are little sponges, waiting to learn and also they are so accepting and forgiving and don’t care if you sing off key or act goofy; it‘s joyful. As a Paediatric Physio, you don’t just work with children: you’re also working with their parents and their family and sometimes their extended family. That’s really what I love doing. I see my role more as a coach to teach parents and family members how they can support their child to learn and grow and reach their potential in day-to-day life.” Libby joined BUSHkids when she returned to Australia in 2022. “When we were planning on returning to Australia from the US, I looked online for Paediatric positions and found BUSHkids. It appealed because it was similar to the working environment I’d been used to and enjoyed. It was also important that I would be working with children from 0-6 where I feel I can make the most difference to their skills and futures. It was also important to me that BUSHkids provides holistic support for children and families and looks beyond the diagnosis or delay and supports families to learn and grow and help their kids.” Libby provides bridging supports for kids while their family apply for NDIS funded plans. “Bridging Supports are vital,” added Libby. “Because of the number of children being referred for supports there can be extended wait times of up to 8-9 months between referral and receiving a funded NDIS plan. When you’re referred at three-months-old that means they can be waiting for three of their lifetimes. Infants and toddlers are still making new connections in the brain and laying down new brain cells, so we have a chance to optimise those connections and teach them correct movement patterns. 8 Annual Report 2022–23
WQPHN Winton Outback Festival Three BUSHkids clinicians travelled to Winton to support Western Queensland Primary Health Network’s Health Hub at the Winton Outback Festival for an opportunity to learn about the needs of the remote community, and promote BUSHkids’ vision for all children to achieve their potential, targeting areas of need and ways to enhance our services for geographically isolated families. “By providing bridging supports to kids we can make a huge difference in their skills in all areas. In the first year of life, kids learn so many new skills, and motor skills, the specific movements of the body’s muscles to perform certain tasks, are a foundation for learning. If you can move, you can explore and develop your cognitive skills. If you can move, you can reach and grab things and develop your eye hand co-ordination for feeding and self-care skills. If you can support your head and body, you can look at books and roll balls and play and start to develop your early communication skills by playing with a partner. If you can support your head and body, you can learn to balance and be able to dress yourself. It‘s such an important time and bridging supports provide families with so many ways to teach their littlies and strategies to build into everyday activities to promote overall growth and development. “I was working with a little girl born with symbrachydactyly. She was missing all the fingers on her left hand and had one bone in her left thumb and a shortened forearm. She came to BUSHkids at four months old as a referral by her mother. At birth, the family had been given a referral to a specialist Clinic in Brisbane but hadn’t received any therapy. The wait for the clinic was 400 days which meant she would have been almost 18 months old before she was seen. “When I saw her, she was five months old and was showing gross motor delays despite being a neurologically typical child who only had musculoskeletal differences. Because she could not use her left hand, she was neglecting it and not using it at all to reach or bat at toys, because of this, she could not initiate a roll from tummy to back to her right and could not push up to her extended arms when on her tummy or roll from tummy to back, was not sitting unassisted and propping to her hands and had started to develop muscle tightness. “She was quite delayed with motor skills. She had bridging supports fortnightly for four months while we waited for her NDIS plan to be funded. Her mum was amazing and incorporated suggestions into day-to-day activities and supported her so well during that time that when she was transitioned from bridging to community supports, she was crawling, pulling to a stand, cruising, reaching for toys and grasping things with her left hand, feeding herself with both hands and using her left hand as a helper hand in play. She no longer had any muscle tightness and, once shown she could use her hand, she was actively stretching during everyday activities. She will still need ongoing therapy support from physio and OT due to her limb length difference and hand deformity but she’s now on track with gross motor skills for her age.” “It shows how a little help early can make a huge difference to a kid’s development and that’s what’s so rewarding in my role with BUSHkids.” 9 Annual Report 2022–23
BIRDIE’S TREE EARLY LEARNING AND UNIVERSAL SUPPORT Across Queensland, families have been impacted by significant natural disasters, including flood, drought, bushfires, and the pandemic. During this period, infant mental health clinicians at the Queensland Centre for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health noticed a sharp increase in babies and young children aged 0-4 showing emotional and behavioural disturbances linked to their experiences of storms and floods. The Program and universal resources were developed to support children’s behavioural, mental health and emotional wellbeing by identifying and responding to the needs of they and their families before, during and following a natural disaster. Stacy-Lee and Cindy are two generations working together at Cunnamulla. Cunnamulla Case Study Western Queensland Primary Health Network (WQPHN), Cunnamulla Aboriginal Corporation for Health (CACH) and BUSHkids have been working together for the past three years to ensure children in Cunnamulla can reach their potential. In October 2020, an inaugural workshop between the three organisations was held in Cunnamulla to identify strengths in the community and how BUSHkids could build upon these strengths. A hybrid service model has been developed over time to incorporate consistent face-toface visits, engaging, child-focused and family- centred telepractice, community capacity building and more recently, employment and upskilling of an Allied Health Assistant who grew up and lives in Cunnamulla. BUSHkids practitioners work collaboratively with key early childhood stakeholders in the local community – including CACH’s New Directions teams in Mums and Bubs groups – and in the kindy, day care and primary school, as well as individually with families. Over time our collaborative partnership has matured and children and families are receiving consistent, integrated supports. BUSHkids AHA Stacy-Lee Stacy grew up in Cunnamulla and has a passion for helping people in her community. She attended all of her schooling in Cunnamulla from preschool through high school. Now she supports the Mums and Bubs Groups run by Cindy and Caitlyn from CACH’s New Directions team which are held in the building where she attended preschool. Cindy worked in the preschool room when Stacy attended and now they work alongside each other to support Cunnamulla parents and carers so their little ones will thrive. CPSS - Children and Parenting Support Services BUSHkids supports children and families experiencing adversity and who are at risk of not achieving their potential. Funding from the Department of Social Services (DSS) provides early intervention, prevention services and resources to improve children’s development and wellbeing, and to support parents and carers in raising children, for our work in Stanthorpe, Kingaroy (Kingaroy North and Nanango) and Agnes Waters (Miriam Vale); Texas and Inglewood are independently funded by BUSHkids. 10 Annual Report 2022–23
L: Our Children and Parenting Team member Julianne sits with a group of children, playing with the frog character from the Birdie’s Tree book, on a blue felt pond mat with green lily pad leaves. Inglewood and Texas Case Study Supporting generations of BUSHkids in one family BUSHkids has been supporting the Inglewood and Texas community since 1990 and many families in these small communities can remember the services and support BUSHkids provides from when they were children. Emma, a mother of 10, has received support from BUSHkids far back as she can remember. We provided support to her mother, to herself as a child and then as a mother, and now to her children and grandchild! Growing up, Emma’s family lived in Inglewood, a tiny rural community on the Darling Downs with fewer than 1,000 people. Back then the support was more informal: “There are not a lot of services out this way, so you have to make do. BUSHkids facilitator, Suzie Clarke was a legend out this way. Everyone knew her. She was a wonderful person who would do anything she could to help you. She did a lot for my mother who had her hands full with three young children. You could ask her anything and she would know, or she would find out.” “Being a mother was something I always wanted to do. From when I could first walk and talk and play with baby dolls, I wanted a baby of my own. I just loved being a mum from day one”. Emma received regular support from BUSHkids including completing the 1-2-3 Magic® and Emotion Coaching and the Circle of Security parenting programs. Sue (Suzie) retired in 2019 and Emma started attending the BUSHkids playgroup. She has developed a strong relationship with our current facilitator and feels very supported. “Playgroup is really important out here. Especially when you live out of town and don’t get out much. It’s a chance to see people, have some adult interaction that I don’t get to have much when I’m home by myself with seven kids”. “I’ve always really liked living out here. We moved to Texas about four years ago. I like how it’s quiet and peaceful. It’s a good place to raise your kids. But it can be hard if you need services. Having BUSHkids here every week makes it feel not so remote. Having a regular visiting service means you get to speak to someone outside your immediate family circle. Someone who won’t judge you.” “BUSHkids has been a part of my family for nearly my whole life. Every Wednesday I come to town and the BUSHkids car pulls up loaded with activities for the kids. My four-year-old Jack can be a bit of a handful but it’s never a problem getting him out of the house on a Wednesday because he knows it’s his BUSHkids day at Kindy. Miss Julie works with all my kids, and they just love her. “ Emma regularly attends the BUSHkids Playgroup in Texas with her three younger children and it’s a good support for new parents; she reassures them with her extensive experience with parenting and shares practical skills. Triple P tip sheets are often used during the Playgroup to share ideas and knowledge with the group. As a mother of a large family, Emma recognises that she needs resources to assist her to care for all her children. “In my worst times, having the support of BUSHkids has meant that I never went under because as a mother you can’t afford to go under. I have done parenting programs through BUSHkids. I did Circle of Security training and had the chance to take my kids to the BUSHkids Playgroup every week. This has really helped with working through problems a couple of my kids were having with separation anxiety. They didn’t want to leave my side and would really get distressed if I tried to leave them at school or daycare. That can be really hard to deal with, it really adds stress to already busy days. “At Playgroup Miss Julie could see me having trouble with this and was there to help distract and engage whoever was needing help to learn to trust other adults and children, and play independently. It takes time to build that trust. In March, BUSHkids hosted Andrea Baldwin from the Queensland Centre for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health to deliver the Program to Early Childhood educators and BUSHkids teams in the Southern Downs. Since the training, BUSHkids staff have been able to implement the program in several childcare centres and schools in Stanthorpe, Inglewood and Texas. Resilience is very important for both parents and for children. The program supports children and families to build their own resilience and reduce anxiety, especially associated with natural disasters. As part of the program, the facilitator talks about the Australian bush as a beautiful but harsh place to live at times, with a landscape designed to flood and go through fires and droughts. Birdie’s Tree Early Learning Program talks about vegetation regeneration and how sometimes hard times give the opportunity to pull together and care for animals and each other. Many children in these programs can pop up their hand and say they have seen water bombing or had planes take water from their dams to help put out fires on neighbours’ land. They speak about camping out in their cars when the whole town was woken and asked to evacuate, as if it is an everyday event. Many parents make their living from the land and they know how hard it can get, and the Birdie’s Tree program has been a beneficial addition to the BUSHkids suite of programs. 11 Annual Report 2022–23
Allied Health Our teams provide much-needed Allied Health (AH) services for children up to 13 years of age. BUSHkids AH is our longest-standing service and is delivered from Mount Isa, Emerald, Bundaberg, Dalby and Warwick. The majority of our staff in this service live in the communities in which they work, with services being supplemented by telepractice. BUSHkids has supported rural families through fires, droughts, floods, and the pandemic, ensuring all children achieve their potential regardless of where they live. BUSHkids AH receives partial funding from the Queensland Government (Queensland Health and Department of Education). As BUSHkids is committed to providing services in regional, rural, and remote locations, this funding is supplemented through fundraising and donations. R: Emma Mills and her family represent the sometimes many generations of BUSHkids support. “As a parent we have to learn to trust other people with our kids too. Playgroup has been great for that. Over the years I’ve had to learn to adapt to all of my children’s needs. They are all very different. BUSHkids has been there through it all right beside me with any support or knowledge that I have needed. I am not actually sure what my parenting journey would have looked like without them. I know I wouldn’t have been as knowledgeable. Their support has meant a lot during tough times for our family. It’s an organisation that has had a huge impact on my life.” Emma’s younger daughter Isabella, who is six, recently completed PALS, Alert and had OT support from BUSHkids. “I met Miss Julie and Koala Jack at kindy. He taught us how to be nice and be kind to each other and how to take deep breaths and feel better when we get sad and how to care about each other’s feelings”. Emma’s daughter Mahlee, 3, was very shy when she first started at BUSHkids Playgroup, keeping her head down and preferring to be close to her mum. She didn’t like to engage with anyone or anything, turning away if anyone tried to speak to her. We have observed that over time Mahlee has begun to socialise at Playgroup, with people outside her family, ensuring her Mum, her safe base, is never far away. Understanding Mahlee’s needs at Playgroup and to take it at her pace has meant her confidence has grown. Emilie, Emma’s eldest child, also visits the BUSHkids playgroup whenever she is home staying with her mum and she brings her own child, Emma’s grandchild Ace, making three generations of BUSHkids supported mothers and four generations of BUSHkids children. “We all love our BUSHkids Wednesdays,” adds Emma. “It’s a great morning out, seeing other people and learning more about parenting, talking to other parents. And when the kids are full on or if I ever need anything, I can always ask. BUSHkids has been the biggest influence and support I’ve had as a parent. They were there to support my mum and now are there for my daughter. Right from when I was a child. It was always a happy day when BUSHkids came to town.” 494 SESSIONS FROM EMERALD ACROSS 4 REGIONS TelePractice, FIFO, FacetoFace 12 Annual Report 2022–23
Liam and Jordan enjoying a more energetic take on the new facilities! R: CEO Carlton, SDRC Mayor Vic Pennisi and Deputy Mayor Ross Bartley with the unveiled official plaque. including the Lions Club, the Friendly Society, Rotary Club of Warwick Sunrise and the Building Vibrant Communities Group. And we have to say a big thankyou to all the local businesses who have supported the project including the Spano’s IGA Group who raised over $40k for us with their Charity Raceday last July, Bunnings Warwick who helped us out with plants and gardening material, and ACCIONA Energía who provided a grant through their Macintyre Wind Farm Sponsorship Program. Emerald BUSHkids has a strong commitment to having a footprint in local communities and we supplement this with technology and travel into communities as needed. In Emerald, we have four staff members located permanently in the community – Social Worker, Allied Health Assistant, Early Intervention Facilitator and Administration Officer. The local team is supported by clinicians (Occupational Therapist, Speech Pathologist and Psychologist) based in other locations across Queensland through telePractice and scheduled regional visits. Our regional visits are valued and prioritised by families in and around Emerald, and we have a very high attendance rate. In our last three-day visit, 34 sessions were held with children and families accessing our team for assessments, multi-disciplinary consultation and specialist review. These sessions supplement the valuable telepractice supports offered. It also provides an opportunity for our clinicians to work directly with our Allied Health Assistant and support her development to support the local community. Our Emerald Allied Health Assistant is funded by our dynamic local Friends of BUSHkids volunteer team. Warwick – new Nature Play Area opened With the help of the Southern Downs community, we have transformed land adjacent to the Service Centre into a very welcoming Nature Play Area. This will be used primarily for outdoor therapy intervention, playgroups and family support groups, and provides children and families visiting the centre with an outdoor setting where they can engage in unstructured play activities involving nature. The new area was officially opened by the Mayor, Councillor Vic Pennisi, and Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ross Bartley. “Nature serves as a canvas for children to initiate their imagination, inspiring them to create games, tell stories, and make discoveries. This type of unstructured playtime is crucial for the development of executive functions, which are essential for success in school and life,” said BUSHkids Educational and Developmental Psychologist Aisling McCann. “Use of the Nature Play Area promotes community connection with our BUSHkids playgroups. Our Bootheram story circle will provide a culturally safe and appropriate environment to invite conversations,” added BUSHkids Occupational Therapist Lexi Morgan. The new area includes vegetable and herb gardens, mud pits, a dry creek bed, meandering deco pathways, and a yarning circle with seating for informal conversations, where families can sit and relax while the kids engage in outdoor play. We are particularly excited to be able to incorporate First Nations stories into the Nature Play Area. We wanted a welcoming space for everyone, and we engaged a local Githabul man, artist Nathan Charles to incorporate Dreamtime stories from the Southern Downs throughout the area. What we have is a relaxing setting that everyone can enjoy while growing their knowledge of the local rich First Nations culture. The Nature Play Area is a true community collaboration, coming together thanks to the hard work of our Friends of BUSHkids volunteers in Warwick and we’ve had unbelievable |support from the local community to build this invaluable space. Southern Downs Regional Council supported us with an Arts Grant, we’ve had fantastic help from community groups WATCH bit.ly/3MOcxok L: Lexi and Aisling at the opening day event. R: Ariah, Aleeah and Dakota (sifting sand) take a break under the sunshade awning. 13 Annual Report 2022–23
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